Week Two

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, no murder happened! Instead, a lot of students started work on Salieri's school play, which sounds pretty cool even though it's gonna be short, several people destroyed Bigfoot and got a few mysterious clues, and Orpheus started a fire in the kitchen! All in all, not a bad first week!

Though some people might have gone to talk to Hester, she hasn't made any more public announcements. There's some new papers posted up around the cafeteria, but it looks like it's just your upcoming lunch schedule. Seems like nothing's driving you towards Rule Five except, perhaps, all of the kidnapping and how criminally boring some of you are finding the school. Maybe the Balladeer is right, and you really can just wait this out? Only time will tell!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( No new locations this week, since y'all haven't paid in blood! Hester's office hours are still open, as are regains! Make sure to complete your first activity check by Tuesday! ))

Comments

[brokeforgood]

What! The!!! [She's pale, and shaking. She thrusts the photo at him, as if getting it away from her will make it cease to exist.]

FUCK!

1/2

[violentenvies]

[Salieri nearly fumbles as the photo is thrust into his hands, and he instinctively glances down to look at it--]

2/2

[violentenvies]

[and goes abruptly very, very pale.

He has never seen this much gore before. For a moment, he feels as though his vision almost starts to swim--but then, Farrah is also standing next to him, and as he glances up, he finds her pale and shaking.

Salieri takes a slow breath, steeling himself, before he folds the picture and tucks it away. Out of sight, out of mind, right?]

It's a cruel trick to play on someone. [There's a definite thread of anger to his otherwise composed demeanor. He steps a bit closer, carefully putting an arm around her, his tone softening] Come, sit.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah feels very, very, very small. She barely even notices Salieri or any of his actions, though she's extremely easy to guide anywhere else. At least she's not screaming anymore, though the image is still cemented in her mind. When she speaks again, it's barely a whisper.]

Clark--- and she was-- [She tries to fight the tears she can feel coming.] they all--

[violentenvies]

[He'll guide her to one of the chairs nearby, then, and gently ease her down into it, and sitting next to her. He looks at her seriously, moving to take her hands] Farrah. Breathe, now. Slowly.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah drops into the seat easily, but she's not hearing him. She can only think of Clark. Of Annleigh's look of terror. And Farrah-- Farrah, alone, in the shower, with--]

No one understands
No one under-
No one understands
Before the breakdown
Before I spiral slowly, screaming

[violentenvies]

[Farrah starts singing, quietly, and Salieri feels something twist in his stomach at those words, desperate, scared]

Farrah-- [he squeezes her hands, trying to get her attention, to break her out of whatever she's gone] Farrah, listen--

[he swallows, and begins to sing in earnest:]

Nothing's gonna harm you
Not while I'm around
Nothing's gonna harm you
No, child, not while I'm around

Wizards may show you future fears,
So he says,
But please remember
It must be
Just hearsay

No one's gonna hurt you
No one's gonna dare
He might try to curse you,
Not to worry, I will be right here

We're here together in this place,
For a while
But in time...

[he squeezes her hands again, gently, encouraging]

Nothing's gonna harm you
Not while I'm around.

[brokeforgood]

[She's still in her own world, for a little bit, but slowly, the song pulls her out. She gives in, and squeezes his hands back, lifting her head to make what eye contact she can muster. And when she returns to her own song, it's just slightly different.]

Woke me up--
I'm dreaming
Am I through the night?
After the breakdown
Now I can breathe
Hoping
Pleading
You tell me it's a joke and
This is not my life

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's hands tighten on hers, holding on, trying to provide some kind of ground, a safe harbor--and he picks up the tune where she left off]

We have to hope that it will get better, better
The future's not what's in that letter, letter
There is a chance that this just a false, cruel view

[brokeforgood]

[She sits quiet, nodding gently along. She wants to believe him. She wants it to be better.]

It doesn't even make sense.

[violentenvies]

That is nothing if not even more evidence that it is probably a cruel farce.

[brokeforgood]

Right. I mean, why would Clark be there? [....Yeah, Farrah. That's the part that doesn't make sense.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri...will hazard a guess that that's one of the people in the picture, and that is definitely not the most shocking thing in there. But it's a better thing to focus on than all that blood]

No reason at all.

[brokeforgood]

Right. He's not a cheerleader. And... I don't know why he'd be in the bathroom with me. He drives like an old woman, but he's not a creeper.

[violentenvies]

[sldfhs Salieri does not really know what that means exactly, but he's going to nod in agreement anyway]

Precisely. [he squeezes her hands gently again] Why don't I make us some tea? You've had a shock, and something hot to drink would certainly help.

[brokeforgood]

That's not the kind of drink I'm looking for right now. [She says it dryly-- but when she peeks up at him, part of her still wants his approval.]

But tea's fine. Yeah.

[violentenvies]

[That comment will get his eyebrows to raise a bit, but...as she peeks up at him, his expression softens again]

How about we meet in the middle, and I'll reheat some of the leftover mead? The monks used to give me that on cold winter nights, and it warmed me right up.

[brokeforgood]

[She hadn't expected that-- and it's enough to make her muster a small, genuine, and grateful smile for him.]

That sounds nice. Can you put extra honey in mine?

[violentenvies]

Of course. [he squeezes her hands again, moving to stand] I'll return presently, then.

[brokeforgood]

[She nods, and lets his hands go-- sitting up only a little straighter, trying to put on a good face.

He was right-- she was safe here. Without the rest of the squad, the photo can't come true. She tries not to worry about what will happen after they escape this place.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri will return momentarily with two mugs full of warm mead. He's added additional spices, including a stick of cinnamon that sticks out of the top. He holds one of them out to her]

Hot mead, with cinnamon and extra honey.

[brokeforgood]

And cinnamon! Fancy! [She takes it from him gratefully, though she doesn't sip it yet-- just enjoys the way it warms her hands. It's easier to feel alive, with something warm in your hands.]

So-- monks? You raised by religious freaks?

[violentenvies]

[he'll move to sit again, chuckling a bit at that] Not for long--just for a little over a year, after my parents died. There wasn't anyone to take me in, so I was taken in by a monastery.

[brokeforgood]

Oh. That sucks. [She probably shouldn't have asked that so leisurely, and now she's stuck in a weird place.] I'm sorry, I mean-- [That's what you say in this situation, right?]

[violentenvies]

[he shakes his head at that] No, it's quite alright. It's been some time and you're right, monks are certainly, ah...how did you put it?

[he smirks] Religious freaks.